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Climate Panel Disbanded

The decision by the Trump regime to disband an environment panel is exactly the wrong thing to do. From this and other decisions, it can be concluded that the regime is taking orders from big oil interests. As seen with pipelines threatening drinking water (Keystone XL), oil spills destroying parts of large areas (Exxon Valdez and BP), foreign policy disasters escalating conflicts (1953 Iran and 2000s Iraq), lobbying that wastes huge sums of taxpayer funds on subsidies (over $10 billion in the U.S., $5 trillion globally every year, according to the IMF), additions to already widespread air pollution (which causes the deaths of about 60,000 in the U.S. and over 500,000 children yearly), regressive suppression of climate change evidence (Exxon knew decades ago but concealed it), and direct contributions to climate change (which could cause massive problems and many trillions of dollars worth of damage), governments being the puppets of fossil fuel industries is a dangerous arrangement indeed.

Even as reports from federal agencies demonstrate that the global climate scenario is becoming increasingly alarming, President Donald Trump has decided to continue the “wave of destruction” his administration is inflicting on the environment—and on the agencies tasked with studying climate change—by disbanding the federal advisory panel for the National Climate Assessment, which was tasked with helping government translate climate findings into plans for action.

As the Washington Postreported, the “charter for the 15-person Advisory Committee for the Sustained National Climate Assessment—which includes academics as well as local officials and corporate representatives—expires Sunday,” and the Trump administration has decided the panel will not be renewed.